CWA Local 1033
Communications Workers of America, AFL-CIO
CWA Local 1033 Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month
Each year from September 15 to October 15 millions of Americans celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. We would like to take the time to honor the history, culture, and civic contributions of Americans with heritage from Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean. It began as a “Hispanic Heritage Week” in 1968, then was expanded to a month – long observance in 1988.
Certification of 2023 Election Candidates
As you all know 2023 is the year for the Election of Officers for CWA Local 1033. The term of office for all elected positions shall be three (3) years. The newly elected officers shall take office in November and sworn in at the December 2023 membership meeting. Each candidate must have signed petitions containing the requisite number of signatures to be eligible for the running of said position.
President, Executive Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer need 200 valid signatures from the Local Membership. Vice President Bargaining Unit Representative Administrative/Clerical need 60, Professional and Primary-Level Supervisory need 25, Higher-Level Supervisory need 5, and Areas 1-9 need 30 valid signatures within their respective units.
If only one (1) nominating petition is submitted for a particular office and duly certified (received requisite numbers) by the Local Elections Committee, that person so nominated will be declared elected and certified the winner by the Local Elections Committee for that office. If a nominee is declared elected, ballots for that elected office will not be sent out to the Local Membership.
There are some open positions where there were no candidates for that position. The Local President can appoint someone for these positions within two months for the remainder of the term. The appointments are then presented to the Local Executive Board for approval and then the Local Membership.
Ballots will only be sent to Area 7 (Division of Revenue & Enterprise Services and Division of Pension and Benefits) Local members in good standing on October 3, 2023.
Below are the Certified Candidates that will take office in November that were duly certified by the Election Committee.
August 31, 2023 Certification of Candidates
CWA Local 1033
2023 Election of Officers
| President | ||||
| Gaye Palmer – Certified | ||||
| Executive Vice President Michele Greaves – Certified Shameko Defreitas – Not Certified | ||||
| Secretary | ||||
| Kathi Cooley – Certified Treasurer Raymond Weicker – Certified | ||||
Administrative Clerical A/C Vice President
Misty Lammons – Certified
Professionals (P) Vice President
Kimberly Deo – Certified
Primary Level Supervisory(R) Vice President Open Position
Higher Level Supervisory (S) Vice President Open Position
Area 1 Representative (Treasury/Except Taxation) Open Position
Area 2 Representative (Law & Public Safety/Excluding State Police – Public Defender) Open Position
Area 3 Representative
(Education – Marie Katzenbach School for the Deaf – State Library – TB&BC – Dept. of Children & Families/Office of Education and Regional Day School)
Joyce Scott – Certified
Area 4 (Dept. of State – Dept. of Military & Veterans Affairs – Dept. of Human Services/Division of Aging)
Representative Open Position
Area 5 Representative (Division of Taxation)
Regina M. Jackson – Certified
Area 6 Representative (MVC) Open Position
Area 7 Representative (Division of Revenue & Enterprise Services and Division of Pensions & Benefits)
Seth Robinson – Certified
Lisa Cox – Certified
Kimberley Cook – Certified
Area 8 Representative (Banking and Insurance & the
Real Estate Commission)
Freddy Brinkman – Certified
Area 9 Representative (Division of NJ State Police (within Dept. of Law & Public Safety) and NJ State Parole Board (Not Covered by other CWA Locals)
Deborah Cole – Certified
The undersigned serves on the Elections Committee and certify the above:
Jeanette Heads, Chair
Desiree Evert
Christopher Parker
Clifford Cooper
Marzena Sample
Andrew Sampson
Trenton Thunder
Team up with CWA Local 1033
as we host
CWA LOCAL 1033
UNION APPRECIATION NIGHT
at the Trenton Thunder Ballpark
SATURDAY, AUGUST 19th
Trenton Thunder v. Frederick Keys
Game Starts at 6:30 PM – Doors Open at 5:30 PM
Unlimited Food & Drinks from 6:00 – 7:30 PM – Reserved Group Seating – Merchandise Discounts – and Post Game Fireworks all included with your ticket.
CWA Local 1033 Members – Free
Guests Over Age 3 – $15.00
Maximum of 4 Guests per Member – Any Child utilizing a seat must have a ticket.
We are down to a limited number of tickets that are available on a first come, first serve basis. If you are interested in attending, please stop by Local 1033 Headquarters to receive your free member ticket and purchase additional tickets if necessary.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CALL JOY YOUNG AT THE LOCAL 1033 AT 609-394-7725
Notice of Elections for Officers
Dear Brothers and Sisters, Members of CWA Local 1033,
this is the 2023 NOTICE OF ELECTIONS for OFFICERS . Please Read Announcement carefully. Ballots will be mailed to the last known home address that we have on file. We are asking all members to call the local at 609-394-7725 to update your current home address starting 7/24/2023.
Thank you Kindly,
Election Committee Coordinator,
Jeanette Heads – CWA Local 1033 Employee (AA2)
Election Committee Members:
Christopher Parker – Dept. of Ed
Clifford Cooper – Dept. of Banking and Insurance
Andrew Sampson – Dept. of Ed
Marzena Sample – Div. of Taxation
Desire Evert – NJ State Police
2023 NOTICE OF ELECTION for OFFICERS
The 2023 Election of Officers will be conducted by Local 1033’s Elections Committee pursuant to the CWA Constitution – Article XV, Local 1033 By-Laws Article 14, and the CWA Local 1033 Election Rules and Procedures. Members who have signed cards but are currently not working, who have paid dues a minimum of 3 months in the 12 months preceding any announced election, and who have not severed their connection with their employer, (except by means of retirement) shall be eligible to vote in said election, pursuant to CWA Local 1033 By Laws, Section 3 E. – General Provisions, pg.14.
Offices include President, Executive Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Bargaining Unit Vice President’s for the Administrative/Clerical, Professional, Primary and Higher Level Supervisory Units, and Area Representatives forArea 1– Treasury, Area 2 – Law & Public Safety and Public Defender, Area 3 – Education, the Katzenbach School for the Deaf, Thomas Edison State College Library, Talking Book and Braille Center, and Department of Children & Families Office of Education and the Regional Day School, Area 4 – Department of State, Department of Human Services Division of Aging, and Department of Military & Veterans Affairs, Area 5 – Taxation, Area 6 – Motor Vehicle, Area 7 – Dept. of Revenue and Enterprise Services; and Pensions, Area 8 – Department of Banking and Insurance & Real Estate Commission, and Area 9 – New Jersey State Police within L&PS and NJ State Parole Board (not covered by other CWA Locals).
CWA Local 1033 members in good standing who have been paying full dues consecutively for at least nine (9) months of the twelve (12) months prior to the date of an election announcement shall be eligible to hold an elective office, pursuant to the CWA Local 1033 By Laws, Section 3 B. – General Provisions, pg.13. The twelve-month (12) calendar effective date starts as of October 24, 2022. Each nominee must obtain the requisite number of signatures to be a candidate on the ballot. Members wishing to run for office may pick up Nominating Petitions, materials and instructions starting Tuesday, August 1, 2023, Monday – Friday, 9am-5pm. Nominating Petitions must be returned no later than Thursday, August 31, 2023. Please call the Local at 609-394-7725 for Jeanette, to arrange a time to pick up your packet.
Ballots for the Election will be mailed Tuesday, October 3, 2023. Ballots MUST BE RECEIVED (Not Postmarked) by 5pm on Friday, October 27, 2023, to the PO Box return address listed on return envelope for ballot. The Election Vender will be by Election America (DBA) YES Elections, 155 Mineola Blvd, Mineola, NY 11501 on Monday, October 2023.
PLEASE UPDATE YOUR HOME ADDRESS Approved by the Elections Committee July 24, 2023
CWA LOCAL 1033 ELECTIONS COMMITTEE
321 West State Street
Trenton, New Jersey 08618
CWA NJ Bargaining Update
NJ STATE EXECUTIVE BRANCH
BARGAINING UPDATE
June 27, 2023
One day longer, One day stronger
Our CWA Bargaining Team has continued to meet with the State to try to reach a tentative agreement before our current contract expiration of June 30th. CWA has met with the State for 20 sessions, including several sessions throughout late May and early June.
As we know, our current contract remains in full force if we do not have a new ratified agreement before that date, but our goal has been to reach settlement by that date if possible.
We are writing to say we will need more time to get to a complete package that our Bargaining Team would recommend to members. From day one, CWA committed that we are not done with bargaining until we address every issue which members indicated is a priority in the best way possible. We are not there yet. We know that we can do better than what the State is offering, and we will continue negotiating until we have a contract that adequately addresses the needs of our members.
CWA made large and comprehensive demands over wages, telework, and other important issues. We took strong positions, and we are sticking to them. Our members set clear priorities for this contract: significant wage growth that breaks away from the patterns of the past eight years, protect the telework program and ensure that the program is equitable and enforceable, and protect against unaffordable and rapid healthcare increases. We are also trying to improve on prior contract language in areas like layoffs and privatization that protect us in the future. In addition, we are looking to ensure that promotional opportunities are available to our members and are not handed out to political appointees, bypassing civil service procedures.
Here is the status of the highest priority issues:
- Salary and Wages: We have made progress on modernizing the step system and creating growth, but we are looking to make more progress. Across the board increases are also still a sticking point. CWA made strong demands in these areas, and we have more work to do to reach a final salary package.
- Healthcare: We have made progress to protect the Unity PPO plan and contain costs. Our current contract contains a process to reopen negotiations if future premiums increase by a certain amount. This type of reopener clause remains under discussion for our next contract. Again, healthcare is part of a final package, so our work isn’t finished on these issues.
- Telework and Civil Service Issues: We must secure a process to deal with telework during the period that civil service regulations are created for a permanent program. We also must secure a quick and fair process to deal with disputes that arise on an ongoing basis. The State wants to retain as much control over telework as possible, so we are in intense discussions over how to resolve our issues as part of a final contract.
CWA Strong! Member mobilization has strengthened negotiations this far. We still have more work to do.
As a recap, here is the timeline of negotiations so far:
- Fall 2022 – Commenced bargaining preparation, which included surveying members on your priorities for these negotiations.
- February 16 – First bargaining session.
- March through April – Solidarity Days every Thursday to support negotiations.
- April 26 – “Fair Contract” Petition with 10,000 signatures delivered to Governor’s Office by over 300 CWA members.
- May – Solidarity Days continue.
- May 31 – Worksite Picketing at over a dozen locations with thousands of CWA members.
- 20 sessions with the State so far… and counting.
CWA members know that contract negotiations go as long as it takes to reach a quality final package. We know our members are eager to know more details, so please stay in touch with your Local for membership meeting dates and communications.
The CWA Bargaining Team cannot win the contract we need without your support. If we are unable to make sufficient progress at the bargaining table, we will be asking for your help in demonstrating to the State that we are united behind our demands for a fair contract.
IN SOLIDARITY!
CWA Bargaining Committee
CWA COVID 2020 Emergency Agreement
UPDATE: 6/30/20:
Guidance for Furloughed NJ State Workers Represented by CWA
CWA Tips for furloughed state workers filing for unemployment insurance
Update: 6/27/20: The Job Security MOA was overwhelmingly ratified.
13595 yes
1318 no
14913 total
Everything You Need to Know About the 2023 – 2027 CWA & NJ State Executive Branch Tentative Agreement
October 2, 2023
CWA LOCAL 1033
After many months of tough negotiations, and our members working under a contract that expired in June, CWA has reached a Tentative Agreement for State Executive Branch members.
This Agreement not only has the strongest compensation package we have won in over 15 years, but there are no givebacks. Thanks to the solidarity of our membership during bargaining, the Tentative Agreement protects our health benefits and sets up continuing work on issues like telework and civil service reforms.
MATERIALS
- Materials have been attached to your email for review.
MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS
Voting on your contract is one of the most important rights you have as an active Union member. Information on voting on the tentative agreement will be shared at our membership meeting. We have scheduled a membership meeting to review the Tentative Agreement.
Local 1033 Membership Meeting
Tuesday, October 3, 2023
5:30 PM – Via Zoom
Advance Registration is required for this meeting as only members can participate in Membership Meetings. You can register using the link below now through Tuesday. Once registered, you will receive the link to join the meeting. If you have any problems, call Joy Young at 609-394-7725.
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAlcuGqqzMtHtN_CnTn_ZT3APiFbPic0OUV
VOTING INFORMATION AND SCHEDULE
A Tentative Agreement does not become our contract unless and until the Members vote to approve it.
Local 1033 voting opens on Wednesday, October 4 at 12:00 Noon. Voting closes on Monday, October 16 at 11:00AM. Results from all seven state worker locals will be compiled and results will be broadcast on October 16th after 12:00PM.
All Local 1033 members will be voting electronically online. Members will receive a ballot message to their work email address and cell phones containing a secure, unique link to cast their vote online. This should occur on Wednesday, October 4th. Several reminders will also be sent to you, but you can only vote once. If you do not receive the email, check your spam mail or personal email account as we used that if we did not have a work email for you. Voting is confidential.
If you have any trouble accessing your ballot or need it sent somewhere other than your work address, please contact Jeanette Heads at jheads@cwalocal1033.com or call Jeanette at 609-394-7725. Jeanette will be monitoring all ballot issues and questions and will promptly respond to you.
Thank you to the great members of CWA Local 1033.
Solidarity forever!
Gaye Palmer
President
2023-2027 Tentative Agreement Summary
Did You Know Facts from the Education and Equity Committee for September?
On August 28, 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his speech “I Have a Dream” speech, he wanted to end economic and employment inequalities and 60 years later, “I Have a Dream” still resonates on the March of 2023, with same problems of yesterday.
In 1894 Congress declared Labor Day, the first Monday in September a national holiday which would honor workers and their contributions to the well-being of the country. Labor Day dates to the 1886 Haymarket Riot in Chicago, workers and supporters from May 1- 4 were advocating for an eight-hour workday, which was the aftermath of a bombing that took place at a labor demonstration on May 4, 1886.
The early-September tribute to workers has been an official holiday for almost 130 years — but an emboldened labor movement has created an environment closer to the era from which Labor Day was born. Like the late 1800s, workers are facing rapid economic transformation — and a growing gap in pay between themselves and new billionaire leaders of industry, mirroring the stark inequalities seen more than a century ago.
Support Candidates Who Support Labor’s Agenda
As government employees, it’s important to support candidates who support labor’s agenda. As we gear up for Election Day, the Local Legislative Political Action Committee is seeking members to participate in Labor walks to educate voters and get out the vote in the Mercer County area. Stops will be to Union member households only. Walks are held every Saturday from 8:45 AM to Noon, and run from September 30th through November 4th, leaving from the IBEW Local 269 Union Hall, 670 Whitehead Road, Trenton. Election Day workers are also needed. If you are interested in working any or all of the Saturday shifts, or on Election Day, please call Joy Young at 609-394-7725 to sign up.
CWA Local 1033 General Membership Meeting – June 28, 2023
CWA Local 1033 General Membership Meeting – June 28, 2023 held virtually via Zoom. Meeting starts at 5:30 PM. In addition to our normal required business that includes approval of prior meeting minutes and the Local’s financial report, we will be discussing the status of contract negotiations, Health Benefits, the upcoming Local 1033 Officer’s Election, and Committee Reports.
All Members must pre-register to participate in this meeting. Registration deadline is 2:00 PM on June 28, 2023. Once your membership status has been manually verified, you will receive a confirmation e-mail with instructions on how to join the meeting. Please do not delay, members who register after the deadline may not be admitted. This meeting is for users with a Zoom account. If you get an error message, make sure you are registering for the meeting with the same email you have associated with a Zoom account. New to Zoom? Sign up free.
If you have problems or need assistance, please call Joy Young at the CWA Local 1033 office 609-394-7725
CWA National News
- CWA Remembers USW President Tom Conway October 3, 2023
- Communications Workers of America Statement on Appointment of Laphonza Butler to U.S. Senate October 2, 2023
- CWA Members Ratify New Union Contract with Frontier Communications September 28, 2023
- Communications Workers of America Awarded Federal Grants for Workforce Development and Apprenticeship Programs as Union Gears Up for National Infrastructure Buildout September 28, 2023
- Bargaining Update September 28, 2023
- CWA Member Honored by the FBI September 28, 2023
- CWA District 9 Members Are Up for the Challenge September 28, 2023
- Organizing Update September 28, 2023
- Raising Awareness of the Importance of Good, Union Jobs September 28, 2023
- Worker Power Update September 21, 2023